McIlroy leads by six shots on -16 after a round of 68
Fowler -10; Garcia -9; D Johnson, Dubuisson -8; E Molinari -7
Manassero, Scott, Karlsson, Furyk, Schwartzel -6
Selected: Clarke, McDowell, Warren, Rose -5; Mickelson -1; Woods +3
A two-tee start for first time in Open history because of the weather
McIlroy with his third at seven... decent, chance of a par. Johnson takes a Wales-sized divot and also gives himself a chance. Oosthuizen makes a long birdie putt disappear at eight to get back to -6. Fowler on eight, leaves himself a longun for birdie.
In this weather the title could go to anyone, so over to you to see who you're backing to win this thing:
Malcolm Stevens on Twitter:, external Jim Furyk to win the Open, I got 40-1 this morning. Rory will bottle it again.
Ryan Gouge:, external Rickie Fowler just loves majors, glad I've backed him for a high finish this weekend!
Not many of you tipping McIlroy to bring the Open championship back to Northern Ireland despite his current three-shot lead...why's that, then?
Fowler with a 12-footer for par at seven... no good, shot gone, back to -9 and tied for second with Dustin Johnson. That, however, could be about to change, with both Johnson and McIlroy gargling medicine back down the seventh fairway. McIlroy hacks out, Johnson flops one forward from a bunker...
Image source, Getty ImagesFormer Ryder Cup player Howell is enjoying himself at Hoylake. The 39-year-old's birdie at 10 takes him to four under. Howell won the BMW Championship in 2006 but had to wait until the Alfred Dunhill Links last year for his next victory after a few years in the golfing wilderness.
McIlroy on tee at seven, a 480-yard par four, pushes it right. Dustin has gone the other way and found sand, this hole is proving a brute. That said, Garcia almost birdies it up ahead, his chip only needed one more revolution and it was in. Double for Ryan Moore on seven, he found a gorse bush off the tee.
Image source, APAnother birdie for Swindon's David Howell at 10, he's four under. Fowler taking his medicine at seven, hacking out of the rough. Here's Darren Clarke with a long-range birdie attempt at four... that putter of his is hot as hell, he's back to -4 and tied for 14th.
Leaders: -12 McIlroy; -10 Fowler; -9 D Johnson; -8 Schwartzel; -7 Dubuisson, Furyk, Garcia; -6 Walker, Karlsson.
Francesco Molinari is having a horrible day - his thing is hitting fairways and greens and every time I look up he's up to his knees in sand or weeds. Here he is flopping out at six, although he does make a fine save to stay three under. McIlroy makes his par to stay 12 under, Johnson also makes his to stay nine under.
Peter Alliss
BBC Sport commentator
"It is almost the perfect day for golf. You can play with confidence and the scoring for most of the players has been terrific."
Schwartzel is making strides but the other two South Africans in his threesome are struggling to shift through the gears - George Coetzee is one over through six, Louis Oosthuizen is two over through six. Shot gone for Schwartzel at seven, back to eight under he goes...
Jay Townsend
Former European Tour golfer on BBC Radio 5 live
Image source, Reuters"I did some research on Dustin Johnson and his average second shot on non par-three holes was 159 yards. That's a wedge."
Only a par for Dubuisson at eight, stays seven under. The Frenchman has one of those faces that you imagine never to change expression, whether you are firing expletives into this face from a couple of inches or telling him that you love him. McIlroy on the par-three sixth, and he's missed the green. The rain hasn't come in studs up as yet, but we're expecting it at about 1400 BST. As it is, it's muggy out there and closing in...
Mark James
Former Ryder Cup captain on BBC TV
"The storms may have evaporated but a lot of players are making a lightening move up the leaderboard."
Dustin Johnson on five, from 12 feet... straight right off the club face, stays nine under but that was a missed chance on a par five. McIlroy makes his six-footer for birdie, opens up a three-shot lead... make that two again, Rickie Fowler has nailed another birdie at six...
Leaders: -12 McIlroy; -10 Fowler; -9 Schwartzel, D Johnson; -7 Dubuisson, Furyk, Garcia; -6 Walker, Karlsson, Warren.
Image source, AFPScotland's Marc Warren is handily placed at six under after making the cut at the Open for the first time. The 33-year-old's round of 68 yesterday was tinged with sadness though after learning of the death of his former coach Bob Torrance.
Torrance had been battling cancer for some time and son Sam, a European Tour veteran and the 2002 Ryder Cup captain, announced he had passed away on Friday evening.
Warren told the Dundee Courier:, external "It's a sad day for golf. A legend has passed away. He changed my career massively. Still to this day, and for the rest of my career, his words of wisdom will stay with me.
"When I first started seeing Bob it was 2002 and I was 80th on the Challenge Tour order of merit, and three months later I'd won twice. I was rookie of the year and I won the World Cup. I might not be playing at this level if it wasn't for him."
Whatever happened to the bump and run? Don't think I've seen one all week, it's as endangered as the craft of clog-making. Dubuisson into eight... another crackerjack approach, another chance for a birdie. Defending champion Mickelson made birds at 10, 12 and 13 and is back under par.
Image source, PACharl Schwartzel has now hit more birdies than any other player this week after his latest flurry. The 2011 Masters champion has 16 - two more than Matteo Manassero, Jimmy Walker and Victor Dubuisson.
Johnson bending round the corner at five, comes up short but misses the bunker. McIlroy could do with something here, they're massing behind him. He's safely on in two, should make birdie from there. Fowler on tee at the par-three sixth, leaves himself eight feet for birdie. Jimmy Walker bogeyed seven, he's back to -6. Garcia comes up a little short at six.
Adam Hinchliff:, external Two tee starts should not be allowed in major tournaments. Spectators get to see half the golf and half the golfers for the same price.
What are your thoughts on two tees in use today to manage the threat of bad weather late today. Is that fair? Tweet #bbcgolf.
Image source, AFPVictor Dubuisson has come from nowhere this season, but here's a piece the Daily Mail's Derek Lawrenson did on him, external earlier this year. Sounds like an unusual character, to say the least. Schwartzel drains a longun at six to join Dustin on nine under, two behind McIlroy. Garcia gets back to seven under courtesy of a fine birdie putt on five, that despite an iffy chip. Fowler joins Schwartzel and Dustin on nine under courtesy of a six-footer...